A new generation simple blood test may be able to identify if a person with memory issues has Alzheimer’s 91 per cent of the time - making it significantly more accurate than other traditional methods doctors use to assess and diagnose the disease, a new study says. According to the findings by Lund University in Sweden, the test would be cheaper and easily available for over 55 million people living with a cognitive condition across the world.

“These findings may have major implications for all those individuals who seek help for memory loss and suspected Alzheimer’s,” Dr. Oskar Hansson, professor of neurology, head of the clinical memory research unit at Lund University in Sweden, and an author of the study, said about the study, published in the journal JAMA.

Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that gets worse over time. It's characterized by changes in the brain that lead to deposits of certain proteins.

For the study, researchers looked at more than 1200 people in Sweden with an average age of 74 years, with most of them experiencing mild memory symptoms - a major symptom and early sign of Alzheimer’s. These patients were tested using the new blood test and the results were then confirmed with cerebrospinal fluid tests that can indicate Alzheimer’s disease.

According to researchers, they measured the level of plasma phosphorylated tau 217 - a type of protein that builds up and impairs the brain in patients with cognitive issues, along with amyloid beta - another protein that is considered a biomarker of brain-related conditions. The blood test had a reliability of about 90 per cent in identifying Alzheimer’s. Previously, the methods used by doctors found accuracy in identifying Alzheimer’s to 61 per cent.

According to researchers, as opposed to more invasive blood tests done previously and doctor visits that would require extensive screenings and tests, the new blood test has made a remarkable advancement in Alzheimer's. And so, it can also help diagnose Alzheimer’s more quickly and easily, allowing patients to develop a plan and better prepare for their future.

“The next steps include establishing clear clinical guidelines for the blood test’s use in healthcare,” said Hansson. “The test is already available in the USA and is likely to become available in many other countries soon. Initially, it will mainly be used in specialist memory clinics, and it may take approximately one to two years to implement guidelines and training in primary care.”

Currently, the methods used to detect brain-damaging diseases including dementia and Alzheimer's include a detailed review of medical history and medications, family history, social history, comprehensive neurologic exam, varying degrees of neuropsychological testing, and detailed PET and MRI scans.

Doctors say Alzheimer’s disease is a brain condition that causes a progressive memory decline, thinking, learning, and organizing skills. It can eventually affect your ability to carry out basic daily activities and daily chores. According to experts, the symptoms of Alzheimer’s worsen over time, as the disease process may start at least a decade or more before the first symptoms appear.

Alzheimer's most commonly affects people over the age of 65.

Signs and symptoms of the condition include a gradual and slow decline in your:

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